Ceresville Mansion

In the fall of 2011Brooke was a sophomore at the University of Maryland auditioning to be a campus tour guide. “I was lucky enough to be one of the judges for her try-out, and as she started dropping fun facts about what our campus had to offer, I was smitten. We were paired up together as guides, she as my trainee, and spent every Thursday sharing our love for UMD with visitors. By the end of the semester, we realized giving tours together would soon be over, but we didn’t want to stop seeing each other. So, I asked her to go steady that winter and we’ve been inseparable ever since.”

Daniel proposed to Brooke in the winter of 2018. “Winter has always been a special time for us and I knew proposing to her during that time of year would be a magical moment we would never forget. We had been talking about it for a while, but Brooke notoriously figures out all of my surprises, so I knew that this would completely catch her off guard.”

100 guests, including a six-person bridal party, helped the couple celebrate their December wedding day. “Our ceremony took place outside at dusk until twinkling star lights and surrounded by Christmas lights. We wanted to make sure both of our families felt very included so we both walked our parents down the aisle with us.”

The couple wanted an “Elegant Christmas with a touch of magic” feel for their wedding. “We’ve been describing it as the perfect hallmark Christmas movie wedding. We wanted our guests to not only feel cozy and warm with our hot cocoa bar, the multiple fireplaces lit, and the candles everywhere, but also feel that sense of magic that Dan and & have always felt about each other.”

Daniel is an Assistant Director of Admissions at George Washington University and Brooke is a Government Relations Professional at Deloitte. They currently reside in Silver Spring.

Latoya and Renee had been following one another on Instagram for several years, and while Renne knew instantly Latoya was someone she wanted to know better, they hadn’t interacted much on the social platform. “I spontaneously messaged Latoya in hopes she did not forget about me since we hadn’t spoken since 2014. The conversation sparked instantly, and from that day on Latoya and I have been inseparable.”

Latoya and Renee’s father had been planning the proposal when he suddenly passed away. “I knew I had to come up with something that tied him to it.” Latoya planned a dinner at a winery with family.“When we all arrived, there was a private table for us to be seated and everyone had a quote in front of them in a cup. Once it got to me to read my quote, I purposely didn’t have a quote in my cup, So I turned to her aunt and asked if I could just talk from my heart. I grabbed Latoya’s hand and said, “You know how I always say I can’t live without you? Will you marry me?”

100 guests including three bridesmaids and three groomsmen were in attendance for their outdoor September wedding at Ceresville Mansion.

“Our ceremony was very special and our officiant was sure to make it about the love we have for each other.“

The couple chose a color palette of gold and green for their decor. “The venue was absolutely beautiful, the pond and pergola sold the venue for us.”

Latoya is a commercial truck driver and Renee is a wedding planner. They currently reside in Baltimore.

Lauren and Michael began texting one another at the urging of their mutual friend, who was sure they would be a perfect match. The two talked by text and phone for days and agreed to meet up for lunch on campus at Howard Community College, where they were both attending. The two continued to meet up and made it official a few weeks later.

Michael proposed to Lauren in Chicago after she had run the Chicago Marathon. “Dozens of pictures and family phone calls ensued after that. It really was an incredible weekend.”

The couple had 150 guests in attendance for their June nuptials, including seven bridesmaids and seven groomsmen. “We worked together with our officiant to create a ceremony that consisted of readings that we felt perfectly depicted our unique journey. Our wedding vows were secret from each other until the ceremony.”

Lauren and Michael chose plum, gray, and cream for their “elegant vintage” themed wedding. “I had been using Pinterest a lot during the planning process. It was nice to see my thoughts and wedding desires in person.”

When asked what her favorite part of the wedding was, Lauren shared, “it was definitely the reception. Our DJ nailed it. Everyone was on the dancefloor.”

The couple also had guests from around the globe to celebrate their special day. “We had family and friends come from all over: Nigeria, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Canada, and Florida. It was great to have all the people we love from all over in the same room. You could feel the love.”

Lauren is a social worker and Michael is a personal trainer. They currently reside in Ellicott City.

Olga and Fernando met at a networking event their mutual friend has organized. “We realized that not only we went to the George Mason University and graduated the same semester, we also had quite a few common friends.”

90 guests were in attendance for their June outdoor nuptials at Ceresville Mansion, including five bridesmaids and five groomsmen.

The couple chose a color palette of white, pink and blue for their decor.

The wedding was a blend of cultures. “One of my bridesmaids came all the way from Ukraine to be at my wedding. With the Russian speaking crowd shouting ‘Gorko!’, which means ‘bitter’ and is also a prompt for the newlyweds to kiss, Latin music blasting all night and every single guest unable to sit down for even a second during the party, it was a crazy fun event all of us will never forget.”

Olga wore three separate dresses on her wedding day- one for the ceremony, a second for the first dances, and a third one, “was a fun fringe dress for our salsa partner dance to fire up the dance floor before the party began. Ironically, I was the one with dancing skills and coached my husband to do the routine, even though he’s from Latin America and I’m from Eastern Europe.”

Olga is in finance and Fernando is in consulting. They currently reside in Arlington, Virginia.

Ronald and Tori met through a mutual friend. “We hung out one night at a Friday’s restaurant and from there, our relationship developed at its own pace.”

The groom planned a perfect engagement surprise with friends and family. “ We arrived at the restaurant and in walks my best friend and her husband to tell me they were there for a sip & paint event. As soon as I walked in I noticed my mother and stepdad and said, ‘What are y’all doing here on date night?’ And in the midst of that comment, I almost walked over Ronald who was already on one knee with a ring box open.”

140 guests were in attendance for their May nuptials at Ceresville Mansion, including a 20 person bridal party. “Ron’s father is a pastor, so it was only right that he would be our officiant. It was intimate and very personal, and afterward, we jumped the broom.”

The couple chose a “vintage chic” theme for their wedding, which included a color palette of blush pink, gold and navy.

Ron is a Multimedia Specialist and Tori is a HR Generalist. They currently reside in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Emily and James met in high school while doing theatre together. James proposed at Disney World in front of Cinderella’s Castle.101 guests were in attendance for their nuptials at Ceresville Mansion, including right bridesmaids and groomsmen.The couple chose a color palette of orange and silver for their brunch reception and added in some Disney decor. “We had an omelet station, which was a huge hit. We had brunch type foods, to be a little bit different than other weddings. We got compliments all day about our food choices.”

“My favorite element of wedding planning was figuring out how to add in our “hidden Mickeys” to go with our Disney theme. We wanted it to look classy and elegant, so it wasn’t overboard with Disney. My husband and I both worked at Disney, so it is a large part of our lives, but we still wanted it to be subtle.”When asked what her favorite part of the wedding was, Emily shared, “I loved seeing everyone! Especially when Time Warp came on, and everyone got up and did the dance. We had a blast.”Emily is a teacher and James- is works in quality control at Paragon Bioservices. They currently reside in Frederick.

Jeff and Maura met on Christian Mingle and, “Felt a strong connection from the very beginning. We talked for hours on our first call.”The couple got engaged at the Glen Burnie Gardens in Winchester, Virginia in July of 2017. “Jeff had a picnic in tow with our favorite snacks.“

100 guests were in attendance for their indoor ceremony at Ceresville Mansion, including four bridesmaids and three groomsmen. “Seeing Jeff in a tux and getting to say our vows in front of all our friends and family was the best moment of my life.”The couple chose a color palette of blues. Decor included pinecones, to reflect the winter season. Maura noted that her bridesmaids and her mother helped to design all the decor, which made it even more special. “I loved decorating with greenery and lanterns and putting up a pinecone wreath my grandmother had made.”

When asked why they chose Ceresville Mansion for their wedding, maura shared that “Ceresville had a beautiful atmosphere and divided the distance between our homes since we lived long distance until we got married.”

Jeff is a Software engineer and Maura us a Medical Technologist. They currently reside in Great Mills.

After meeting on Match.com, Frances and Travis went to the Smithsonian National Zoo in DC for their first date. “It was very cold that night and I had giant earmuffs on, so I can honestly say that I only heard about half of what he said,” shared Frances.

The couple had 200 guests in attendance at their Ceresville Mansion wedding. “We wanted to get married outside, but also wanted somewhere with a good indoor option,” Frances shared. Thankfully they were able to say their vows outdoors as planned. Four groomsmen and two bridesmaids made up the couple’s bridal party.

Frances and Travis chose a color palette of blue and green for their reception. To round out the evening, the couple had a unique getaway. “My dream car, which I only recently bought a few years ago, made a star performance. She’s a 1955 Buick Roadmaster, red and white, and I got her running in time for the wedding. I also got to drive us away, and had the old-fashioned cans and balloons tied to the bumper.”

Travis is a paralegal and Frances is a technical writer. They currently live in Washington, DC.

First Dance: A Thousand Years, Christina Perri

Honeymoon: St. George’s Island, Florida

The proposal: on the balcony of Travis’ condo, overlooking the Capitol

“We became best friends instantly. We both knew there was no need to look any further,” said Bobbi Moose of her relationship with her now husband, Regis Larkin.

125 guests were in attendance for their outdoor ceremony at Ceresville Mansion. The sisters of the bride acted as the bridesmaids and a close friend of the groom was the best man. “My father walked me down the aisle and I could hardly hold back the tears. My father and our dear friend read from the Bible. We had a rose ceremony where we gave a rose to our mothers as Ave Maria was played on the flute.”

The couple wanted a timeless feel to their wedding. “I wanted a classic, vintage wedding. Barn weddings are so popular now, but we wanted to have a traditional wedding with beautiful flowers. When I visited Ceresville I fell in love with everything”

The bride is a Dentist at Hagerstown Smiles and the groom is a Senior Wealth Advisor with RBC Wealth Management. They currently reside in Frederick.

How they met: Mutual friends

The proposal: at Linganore Winery. “Regis handed me a gift bag and said ‘It’s just a little something.’ So I opened it and it was a small bag of Dark Lindt chocolates. As I went to open it I saw a big sparkle. There it was, tied to a chocolate. I was so shocked and happy”

Christine Calimlim & Richard met through a mutual friend during a Wizards basketball game. “We sat a seat apart from one another but never went beyond hellos at that time,” Christine shared. More than a year later they both attended a Young Adults Retreat held by McLean Bible Church. “We recognized each other during the ice cream social. Out of 500 attendants, we we were assigned to the same dining group. We dated two years before we got married.”

While many couples see each other before the ceremony, Rich and Christine decided against it. Instead they began their wedding day with prayer together. “Our photographer and videographer made arrangements for us to meet in a room without seeing each other – standing back-to-back on either side of an open door and reaching out to hold each other hands as we prayed together. It was one of the most special moments of our day.”

In an outdoor ceremony at Ceresville Mansion, the bride’s eldest brother walked her down the aisle and her sister stood in place for her mother as Christine’s parents had both passed away from cancer. “We made special tributes throughout the whole ceremony and reception in memory of the my parents.”

The flower girl and ring bearer were the bride’s children. “The groom surprised us all with special vows he made for the kids taking on the role as their father.”

The couple had a matron of honor, six bridesmaids, a best man and six groomsmen. 180 guests were in attendance at their outdoor ceremony.

The couple decided on a “romantic” color theme- a blush and gold palette carried through all the decor. In place of wedding favors, donations were made to the American Cancer Society.

Christine is a Registered Nurse and Rich is a Mortgage Loan Originator. They currently reside in Clarksburg.

The proposal– “Rich proposed during his 30th birthday picnic celebration in Virginia Beach.”

First dance– “Spend My Life” by Eric Benet and Tamia

Honeymoon– Cancun, Mexico

Tips for planning a wedding in Frederick– “There are so many hidden gems in Frederick! You can find anything from classic and vintage to modern and stylish. Frederick has it all.”

Catherine and Thomas met while Attending Linganore High School. “I remember meeting freshman year in English but he says we met junior year of high school. We were in the same class club, and he got my number from a mutual friend,” said Catherine. The two began dating in 2009. Thomas left Maryland to attend art school in Chicago, but the two continued to date long distance for five years.

Impending rain threatened their outdoor ceremony at Ceresville Mansion, but stopped right as the ceremony began. The couple had six bridesmaids and six groomsmen in their wedding party. 130 guests were in attendance.

“When the pastor said ‘you may kiss the bride’ my husband did not wait the two seconds we were instructed to the day prior so the pastor would be out of the pictures. Then we had to kiss again.”

The couple, having dated since they were 16, had many photographs to share of relationship. Photographs were sprinkled throughout the wedding reception of their seven year courtship.

The groom’s band, The Belvederes, drove from Chicago to Maryland to perform at the wedding reception. The band played the first dance, the father-daughter and mother-son dances. “They brought such joy and life to the day and made it even more special because they came all that way to support their friend.”

On each table the couple provided anniversary cards. Guests were asked write memories from the day or well wishes to the newlyweds to read on their future anniversary dates. The wedding favors were drumstick pencils, a homage to the couple’s vocations- Thomas is a drummer and Caroline is a teacher.Thomas is originally from New Market, and Catherine from Mt.Airy. They currently live in Chicago. The couple honeymooned after the wedding in Ireland.

First dance: ‘Every Single Word’ Original song by groom’s band, The Belvederes

The Proposal: “We went for a walk by the lake near his house to a weeping willow tree. He explained how much he loved me and wanted to be with me forever. At first I asked if he was being serious, and then when he got the ring out I shook my head yes. I was so surprised I didn’t start crying until we started walking back to his house.”

Advice to other couples: “Enjoy the engagement as much as possible, and didn’t stress out over planning. The day goes by way too fast, and try to enjoy every minute of it.”

“I have some great news for youuuuu” the planner sang to Maggie as she popped her head into the bridal suite. We had all been listening to the wind and rain batter the fogged window panes for a while, and when the planner exclaimed that the forecast had shifted and the storm was on its way out for the rest of the day, we all exhaled a collective sigh of relief.

Maggie and Brian vowed to spend the rest of their lives together at Ceresville Mansion, just outside Frederick. The ivy-woven altar, the lush greenery and classic architecture of the mansion surrounding it, and even the clouds that danced above us after the storm… it was all enough to set a tone of excitement and romance as Maggie slipped into her fairytale gown. While Maggie enjoyed the company of her adoring bridesmaids and family, Brian and his groomsmen put the finishing touches on their swanky getups in the room across the hall. After the storm kindly made its way elsewhere, Maggie and Brian were ready for their intimate first look. Brian had a chance to marvel at his stunning bride, and they shared a few quiet moments alone before everything got started. From then on, the day was a whirlwind of happy tears, joyous embraces from loved ones, and a heck of a dance party.

Xin and Xiaoyu’s wedding was super romantic and dreamy! Both the bride and groom got ready at Ceresville Mansion. They decided to do a “first look” before the ceremony. (We love first looks!)

The ceremony was intimate and was held indoors with beautiful florals throughout. The bride was brought down the aisle by her father and given away to her groom. Once the officiant shared some beautiful insights on the importance of marriage the bride and groom then partook in a sand mixing ceremony to symbolically express their love and the act of two becoming one in marriage. Xin and Xiaoyu then shared heartfelt vows and exchanged rings.

After bridal portraits were taken everyone made their way into the reception space which was decorated with splashes of white and red and had uplighting all around. When Xin and Xiaoyu were announced into their reception they were toasted by their parents, family and friends. The couple then cut their wedding cake and shared dinner with their guests. Once the couple shared their first dance, the guests joined in to dance the evening away. To end the night, Xin and Xiaoyu exited Ceresville through a sea of bubbles and then they were off to their honeymoon!

from the bride:

We both think we can be our true selves when we are with each other, so getting married was a natural decision for us. Although the wedding planning process can be stressful at times, we enjoyed every bit of it as we got to spend many intimate times together, getting to know each other better and collaborating towards the biggest event of our lives so far. Time seemed to just fly by and before we knew it, our big day had finally come. From the early morning all the way to our walk down the aisle, the whole day seemed so magical that I wished that it would never end. Our favorite part of the day was definitely the first look. We’d like to thank our photographer who arranged the first look with my husband and with my dad at the best place in the venue. I can’t forget my husband’s look when he turned around to see me!
We visited 4 venues and all of them are in Frederick area. We love Frederick area as it mixes history and romance. We chose Ceresville mansion as we love their environment. More importantly, we love their services! To other couples: wedding planning could be a stressful thing, but as long as communicate well with your future husband/wife to be, the process could be a memorable time and help kick start your journey into life together!

“I have some great news for youuuuu” the planner sang to Maggie as she popped her head into the bridal suite. We had all been listening to the wind and rain batter the fogged window panes for a while, and when the planner exclaimed that the forecast had shifted and the storm was on its way out for the rest of the day, we all exhaled a collective sigh of relief.

These two vowed to spend the rest of their lives together at the Ceresville Mansion. The ivy-woven altar, the lush greenery and classic architecture of the mansion surrounding it, and even the clouds that danced above us after the storm…it was all enough to set a tone of excitement and romance as Maggie slipped into her fairy tale gown. While Maggie enjoyed the company of her adoring bridesmaids and family, Brian and his groomsmen put the finishing touches on their swanky getups in the room across the hall. After the storm kindly made its way elsewhere, Maggie and Brian were ready for their intimate first look. Brian had a chance to marvel at his STUNNING bride (no really…if you have read this far without peeking at her in her dress…you’re in for a treat) and they shared a few quiet moments alone before everything got started. From then on, the day was a whirlwind of happy tears, joyous embraces from loved ones, and a heck of a dance party.

Ceresville Mansion holds a special place in our hearts (it’s where one of our editors was married!). The outdoor space with elegant columns, natural surroundings and lily pond set the perfect scene for Sara and Justin’s ceremony. We just love the textured, romantic blooms throughout the venue. Thank you to Meghan Lynn Photography for sharing this beautiful day with us!